Port Macquarie, New South Wales

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Port Macquarie New South Wales
Port Macquarie CBD in June 2007
Port Macquarie
Population:	39,219 (2006)[1]
Postcode:	2444
Elevation:	5 m (16 ft)
Location:	400 km (249 mi) from Sydney 510 km (317 mi) from Brisbane 19 km (12 mi) from Wauchope
LGA:	Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
County:	Macquarie
Parish:	Macquarie
State District:	Port Macquarie
Federal Division:	Lyne
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Annual Rainfall 22.2 °C 72 °F 13.1 °C 56 °F 1,539.7 mm 60.6 in

Port Macquarie is a large town on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about 390 km north of Sydney, and 570 km south of Brisbane. The town is located on the coast, at the mouth of the Hastings River. The nearest railway town is Wauchope about 19 kilometres to the west.

Contents 1 History 2 General 3 Beaches 4 Educational facilities 4.1 Primary schools 4.1.1 Public schools 4.1.2 Catholic schools 4.1.3 Other private schools 4.2 High schools 4.2.1 Public schools 4.2.2 Private schools 4.3 Other educational facilities 5 Transport links 6 Annual events 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

The site of Port Macquarie was first visited by Europeans in 1818 when John Oxley reached the Pacific Ocean from the interior, after his journey to explore inland New South Wales. He named the location after the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie.

Oxley noted that 'the port abounds with fish, the sharks were larger and more numerous than I have ever before observed. The forest hills and rising grounds abounded with large kangaroos and the marshes afford shelter and support to innumerable wild fowl. Independent of the Hastings River, the area is generally well watered, there is a fine spring at the very entrance to the Port'.

In 1821, Port Macquarie was founded as a penal settlement, replacing Newcastle as the destination for convicts that had committed secondary crimes in New South Wales. Newcastle, which had fulfilled this role for the previous two decades, had lost the features required for a place for dumping irredeemable criminals, that being isolation, which was lost as the Hunter Valley was opened up to farmers, and large amounts of hard labour, which had diminishing as the cedar in the area ran out and the settlement grew in size. Port Macquarie, however, with its thick bush, tough terrain and local aborigines that were keen to return escaping prisoners in return for tobacco and blankets, provided large amounts of both isolation and hard labour to keep the criminals in control. Under its first commandant, Francis Allman, who was fond of the flogging, the settlement became hell, where the convicts had limited liberties, especially in regard to being in possession of letters and writing papers, which could get a convict up to 100 lashes.

Due to the lack of liberties of the settlement, Ralph Darling, governor of New South Wales, quickly sent many 'specials' or literate convicts whom had a decent education who voiced negative views about him. Later on in the settlements history, in the 1830's, disabled convicts started to arrive. One-armed men would be grouped together and required to break stones, men with wooden legs would become delivery men, an early postal system, for the town and the blind would often be given tasks during the night when they were often better than those with sight.^[2]

In 1823 the first sugar cane to be cultivated in Australia was planted there. The region was first opened to settlers in 1830 and later on in the decade the penal settlement was closed in favour of a new penal settlement in Moreton Bay. It was soon being settled having the good pastoral land, timber resources and fisheries that it did.

St Thomas’ Anglican Church is a Georgian building designed by Lieutenant T Owen and was built by convicts under military supervision during 1824-1828. This church is among the oldest in Australia and one of the few remaining convict built churches. Inside there are red cedar box pews that were peculiar to that period in church architecture.^[3] The Walker Pipe Organ is the only one of its type in the southern hemisphere. The castellated tower permits excellent views of the coastline, town and river. This church is now classified by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and it is also registered on the National Estate.

In 1840 the “Wool Road” from the Northern Tablelands was under construction to enable wool and other produce to be shipped from the port. Port Macquarie was declared a municipality in 1887, but the town never progressed as a port due to presence of a notorious coastal bar across the mouth of the river.

Over 20 shipwrecks occurred in the Tacking Point area before a lighthouse was designed by James Barnet and erected there in 1879 by Shepard and Mortley. Tacking Point Lighthouse is classified by the National Trust of Australia (NSW).

[edit] General

Port Macquarie is a popular retirement and tourist destination, known for its extensive beaches and waterways. The town is also known for its koala population, being the home the Billabong Koala Park, and the Koala Preservation Society's Koala Hospital, caring for koalas injured through bushfire, dog attacks and collisions with vehicles.

In recent times, real estate developments have led to clashes with residents, in particular the Rydges Hotel (formerly Four Points by Sheraton) built opposite the Town Green^{[citation needed]}. The Post Office on the Town Green was demolished to make way for a new apartment block, a development that saw the controversial removal of several large fig trees and subsequent debate in the community about the value of public space.^{[citation needed]}

The residential suburbs stretch to Lighthouse Beach in the south, Thrumster to the west and to the so-called "North Shore" on the north bank of the river. Settlement Point has a new canal development, being one of the most expensive real estate developments in the town. More recently, September 2009, Sovereign Hills, has begun development in the west. At present it includes a new school, St Joseph's Regional College, and shortly there be will shopping facilities and residential areas.

In the 2006 Census the wider area of the Hastings Valley had a total population of 68,429 up 9.5% from the 2001 Census.

In the last two years the Newcastle Jets have played one of their Pre-Season Cup matches at the Port Macquarie Regional Stadium.

It has become a major service centre for those living between Taree in the south and South West Rocks to the north.

[edit] Beaches

Beaches include (in order from north to south): North Shore, Town Beach, Oxley Beach, Rocky Beach, Flynns Beach, Nobbys Beach, Shelly Beach, Miners Beach and Lighthouse Beach. Only Town, Flynns and Lighthouse Beaches are manned by Surf Life Saving Clubs and Lighthouse is only watched at the north end. There is an active surf culture with the beaches being the main tourist attraction^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Educational facilities

[edit] Primary schools

[edit] Public schools

• Port Macquarie Primary School
• Westport Public School
• Hastings Public School
• Tacking Point Public School

[edit] Catholic schools

• St. Joseph's Primary
• St. Peter's Primary
• St. Agnes' Primary

[edit] Other private schools

• St Columba Anglican School
• Port Macquarie Adventist School
• Heritage Christian School

[edit] High schools

[edit] Public schools

• Port Macquarie High School
• Westport High School

[edit] Private schools

• St. Joseph's High School (Catholic, incorporating Regional and St. Paul's junior campuses and MacKillop Senior College)
• St. Columba Anglican School
• Heritage Christian School
• Newman Senior Technical College (Year 11 & 12)

[edit] Other educational facilities

There is also a TAFE campus for further qualifications. Courses are also offered by the University of Newcastle through the TAFE campus.

[edit] Transport links

Port Macquarie is linked by daily air services to both Sydney and Brisbane.

Road access is via the Pacific and Oxley Highways. The Pacific Highway lies between Port Macquarie and Wauchope, and is the main road for tourists travelling from coastal areas. Improvements to the Oxley and Pacific Highway has seen steady improvements in travel times between Sydney and the mid-north coast region from 6 hours to just 4 hours (from Wahroonga to the Oxley Highway interchange);

The four proposed or in-construction road projects that are underway:

• Karuah to Bulahdelah section 2 and 3 - Under construction [1] (Karuah to Bulahdelah section 1 - Completed December 2006 [2]).

• Bulahdelah Bypass - Early works commenced in November 2007.^[4] [3]

[4] [5] [6] [7]. The Bulahdelah bypass/upgrade will fill the only missing link between Hexham and Port Macquarie once the Karuah to Bulahdelah section(s) 2 and 3 and the Coopernook to Herons Creek upgrades are open in 2009.^[5]

• Coopernook to Herons Creek - Under construction. ^[6][7]
• The Oxley Highway upgrade, from a 2 lane undivided road to a 4-lane divided carriageway, from Wrights Road to the Pacific Highway, stage 1 - Pre-construction.^[8]

These four projects are all from the AusLink funding on a 50/50 "joint basis" from the Commonwealth and the state of NSW (50% from Commonwealth Government and the other 50% from the NSW Government ^[9].

Rail access to Port Macquarie is via bus transfer from the North Coast Railway Line which stops at Wauchope (19 km inland).

Port Macquarie Airport has regular flights to Sydney with QantasLink and Virgin Blue, Brisbane via Coffs Harbour, and Newcastle with Brindabella Airlines and also to Lord Howe Island with QantasLink.

[edit] Annual events

• Festival of the Sun (December)
• Sundowner BREAM Classic (November)
• Panthers Ironman (April)
• Pacific Coast Slam (January)

[edit] See also

• Lake Cathie, New South Wales
• Laurieton, New South Wales
• Macquarie County

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Port Macquarie, New South Wales

• Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
• Port Macquarie Tourist Information
• Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
• Festival of the Sun
• Port Macquarie Hastings Municipal Band
• Greater Port Macquarie Focus Magazine
• St Columba Anglican School
• Greater Port Macquarie Discover Magazine
• Port Macquarie Holiday Guide

Coordinates: 31°26′S 152°54′E / 31.433°S 152.9°E / -31.433; 152.9